JP2019171050A - Body hair removal device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a body hair removal device comprising a body hair removal head that can move with respect to a handle, which can suppress, avoid or reduce noise during movement of the head.SOLUTION: The body hair removal device comprises a handle for storing a driving part and an energy source, and a head including at least one body hair removal part 4 connected to the driving part through/by a transmission, supported on the handle pivotably, which converts movement of the driving part to movement of at least one part to be driven of the body hair removal part. Pivoting of the head with respect to the handle is restricted by contact of a stop surface 14 of a stop element with a stop element at the other side. The stop element is manufactured by multicomponent injection molding using first plastic materials and second plastic materials softer than he first plastic materials, and the stop surface is manufactured of the second plastic materials.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention is driven by, for example, a handle that houses a drive unit and an energy source, and a transmission that is pivotally supported by the handle and converts the rotational movement of the drive unit to the movement of the driven unit of at least one hair removal unit. The present invention relates to a hair removal device, for example, a dry shaver, a wet shaver, or a hair removal device, including a head including at least one hair removal unit connected to the unit.

  EP 2404716 (B1) extends parallel to the pivot axis and can pivot about the pivot axis so that the cutter follows the contours of the user's skin. An electric shaver is disclosed having a head with a cutter element that can be.

  The pivoting of the head relative to the handle is typically limited by the contact of the stop surface of the stop element with a counter-stop element. This limitation may be required to protect other components of the device during use or when the device is subject to external impact forces, for example when the device falls. However, the abutment of the stop surface with the mating stop element may cause the user to generate unwanted tactile and / or audible feedback in the form of a rattling noise and a hard end impression.

European Patent No. 2404716 (B1)

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hair removal device that improves the sensation during use of the device. More specifically, a further object of the present invention is to improve the above-described hair removal device comprising a hair removal head that is movable relative to the handle, wherein noise during movement of the head is suppressed, avoided or avoided. Reduced.

  In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a hair removal device includes a handle that houses at least a drive and an energy source, and is pivotally supported by the handle, such as rotational or linear movement of the drive, at least one hair removal. And a head including at least one hair removal unit connected to the drive unit by a transmission that converts the movement of the driven unit of the unit to the movement of the driven unit. The pivoting of the head relative to the handle is limited by the abutment of at least one stop surface of the at least one stop element with at least one other stop element. The at least one stop element is manufactured by multi-component injection molding with a first plastic material and at least one second plastic material that is softer than the first plastic material, the at least one stop surface being a second Manufactured from plastic materials.

  Multi-component injection molding is a very efficient way to produce components of various materials with material properties tailored to meet their requirements. For example, the combination of a harder or stiffer plastic material that withstands mechanical loads and a softer plastic material allows for damping of abutment that limits pivoting of the head relative to the handle. Thereby, a user's comfort can be improved and the feeling in use of a device can be improved. In addition, softer plastic materials can reduce mechanical loads, for example, when the device is subjected to external impact forces, such as when the device falls. By providing such a multi-purpose component, the cost and effort for producing and assembling the device by reducing the number of components compared to separate components each performing only one function It contributes to reducing.

1 is a schematic perspective view of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the components of the device of FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic side detail view of the device of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic side detail view of the device of FIG. 1.

  Before describing advantageous embodiments of the present invention with respect to FIGS. 1-4, various aspects of the present invention will be described in greater detail. These aspects disclose further features, advantages and potential uses of the invention that may be combined in any useful combination. All features described and / or shown in the figures are the subject of the present invention regardless of the groupings of features in the claims and / or the references behind them.

  The at least one stop element is manufactured by multi-component injection molding with a first plastic material and at least one second plastic material that is softer than the first plastic material. With respect to the present disclosure, the stop element can be manufactured by two-component injection molding that includes only a first plastic material and a second plastic material. However, it may be desirable to use more than two different plastic materials, especially if the stop element has an additional function. For example, the softer second plastic material may be a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or (liquid) silicone rubber (LSR). The first plastic material is typically a thermoplastic material that is rigid at ambient temperature, such as polypropylene (PP) or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

  The hair removal device may include components that should be sealed against humidity, for example, an outer housing and an inner housing that enclose and enclose the drive and / or energy source. The at least one stop element may be part of a shell or shell assembly that seals at least a portion of the hair removal device against the environment. In other words, the stop element may be part of the outer housing or the inner housing. Preferably, the at least one stop element comprises at least one sealing part, for example a sealing lip, made from a second plastic material. According to an independent aspect of the present disclosure, the components of the hair removal device are manufactured by two-component injection molding or multi-component injection molding, and the softer material serves as a stop element in addition to performing a sealing function. Fulfills the function.

  Alternatively or in addition to the sealing function, the at least one stop element may include at least one soft rib made from a second plastic material, the soft rib abutting the soft rib. Applying a biasing force to the components The component abutting the soft rib may be a shaft, which removes the gap between the shaft and a further part hinged to the shaft.

  The at least one stop element can include a separate region of a softer second plastic material. Alternatively, the regions of softer second plastic material may be connected together to form a common piece of second plastic material. Preferably, the at least one stop surface and the at least one sealing part are connected to each other by a web made from a second plastic material.

  As described above, the head of the hair removal device is pivotally supported on the handle of the device. If the device is a shaver that includes a cutter element that moves substantially longitudinally in use, the pivoting of the head relative to the handle is, for example, a pivot axis that is substantially parallel to the direction of longitudinal movement of the cutter element It may be a turning motion around Alternatively or additionally, the pivoting of the head relative to the handle may be a tilt about an inclined axis that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of longitudinal movement of the cutter element, for example. Furthermore, the head or cutter element may be movable in a direction parallel to the main extension of the handle, for example a movement that enters into the handle.

  According to embodiments, the head may be pivotally supported on the handle by at least two levers hinged to the handle support and the head, respectively. The lever can form a so-called four-bar mechanism that allows the head to tilt with respect to the handle. For example, at least one of the levers is a metal part that may have a substantially U-shaped cross section. A portion of the handle support may be a stop element having at least one stop surface made of a second plastic material for each lever. Furthermore, each lever can include a portion forming at least one mating stop element. According to a further aspect, the handle support is a lid that seals and seals the inner housing of the handle, the inner housing containing the drive and the energy source.

  Additionally or alternatively, the head can be supported on the handle so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis. The head may include a frame supported on at least one, for example two pivot bearings, aligned with the pivot axis. The pivoting of the head relative to the handle about the pivot axis can be limited by abutment of the frame with a component constrained by the handle with respect to rotation about the pivot axis. For example, the component that is constrained to the handle with respect to rotation about the pivot axis is, for example, a plate-shaped head portion, where at least one stop surface made of a second plastic material is on the plate. Is provided. The head portion or plate may have an opening for receiving the drive shaft of the transmission. Still further, the at least two levers may be pivotally hinged to the head portion or a further base plate constrained to the head portion. The further base plate may include two arms, each arm having one of the pivot bearings.

  The hair removal device may be a dry shaver, a wet shaver, or a epilator. For example, the hair removal device includes at least one hair removal portion having a lower cutter having a plurality of blades and a foil-type upper cutter. The transmission may be coupled to the lower cutter to drive the lower cutter in translational motion relative to the upper cutter. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one hair removal portion can include two or more comb portions that move relative to each other to cut or remove the hair.

  Returning now to the exemplary embodiment shown in the figure, a hair removal device 1 comprising a handle 2 and a head 3 having a plurality of hair removal sections 4, 5 is shown in FIG. Each of the two hair removal portions 4 is a foil-type upper cutter, and a lower cutter (not shown) having a plurality of blades that move in an axial direction with respect to the foil-type upper cutter in order to shear the hair in use. including. The hair removal part 5 includes two comb parts that move relative to each other to cut the hair.

  In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the handle 2 has an elongated shape that defines the main axis of the hair removal device 1. The handle 2 can accommodate components such as the drive 6 and an energy source such as a rechargeable battery, a controller, and the like. This is schematically indicated by a broken line in FIG.

  The head 3 is supported by the handle 2 so that the head 3 can perform relative movement with respect to the handle 2 that allows the hair removal portion to follow the contour of the user's skin. This is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 2 where the components of the head 3 and handle 2 are omitted. The handle 2 includes a support 7 that may be, for example, a lid that seals an internal space that houses the drive unit 6 and the energy source. Four levers may be pivotally coupled to the support body 7 so that the two levers are connected to each other to form, for example, U-shaped lever portions 8a and 8b. The lever is hinged to the base plate 9 which can be tilted, i.e. pivoted, left and right in FIG. For example, the lever portion may be a sheet-like metal part.

  The base plate 9 includes two arms 10 each having a swivel bearing 11, and the bearing 11 is located on a swivel axis I that is substantially perpendicular to the main axis of the handle 2, for example. The hair removal parts 4, 5 are mounted in a frame 12 that is pivotally supported on the arm 10 by a swivel bearing 11. In combination with the lever portions 8a and 8b, the frame 12 can be attached to the support 7 in a gimbal manner by the slewing bearing 11, so that the slewing motion about the slewing axis I and the slewing axis I can be performed. Tilt about a substantially vertical axis is possible.

  The frame 12 may be received in the casing of the head 3 as shown in FIG. 1 or may be part of the casing of the head 3. Further, the hair removal parts 4, 5 may be movable with respect to the frame 12 and / or the casing of the head 3 in the direction of entry substantially parallel to the main extending part of the handle 2.

  The pivoting movement of the lever can be limited by the lever abutting against the support 7 and / or the base plate 9. In the example shown in FIG. 3, each lever includes a nose 13 in the vicinity of the end facing the direction away from the hair removal portions 4, 5. As shown in FIG. 3, the nose 13 of the left lever portion 8 a abuts on the support body 7, thereby restricting the inclination of the base plate 9 to the right. Similarly, the nose 13 of the right lever portion 8b is considered to come into contact with the support 7 when the base plate is tilted to the left. In this way, the support 7 defines a stop element and the nose 13 defines a counter stop element that together restricts the pivoting of the head 3 relative to the handle 2.

  The support 7 is a component part of the hair removal device 1 that must bear a mechanical load caused by the support of the head 3, for example. Therefore, the support 7 mainly consists of a rigid material. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the support 7 is manufactured by two-component injection molding using a first rigid plastic material and a second softer plastic material. At least the area of the support 7 in contact with the respective nose 13 of the lever for limiting the pivoting of the head 3 with respect to the handle 2, i.e. the stop surface 14 of the support 7, is a second softer plastic material, e.g. It consists of a thermoplastic elastomer. In other words, the support 7 is a single component, but the support 7 is a stop surface 14 for abutting at least two different materials: a rigid first plastic material and the nose 13. Made of a softer second plastic material that forms Thereby, a soft stop part is brought between the nose 13 and the support body 7, and generation | occurrence | production of an unnecessary noise or a hard stop sensation is suppressed.

  Additionally or alternatively, a stop surface made from a second, softer plastic material may be provided on the lever and / or frame 12.

  Similarly, FIG. 4 shows the interface between the frame 12 and the base plate 9 including a soft stop. More specifically, the frame 12 has an edge or protrusion that contacts the base plate 9 or a separate plate 15 attached to the base plate 9 when the base plate 9 pivots about the pivot axis I as shown in FIG. Is provided. This abutment of the plate 15 defining the stop element and the frame 12 defining the mating stop element limits the pivoting of the head 3 about the pivot axis I relative to the handle 2. The plate 15 is manufactured by two-component injection molding using a first rigid plastic material and a second softer plastic material. At least the area of the plate 15 that contacts each part of the frame 12 to limit the pivoting of the head 3 relative to the handle 2, i.e. the stop surface 16 of the plate 15, is a second softer plastic material, e.g. It consists of a thermoplastic elastomer. Again, this provides a soft stop that limits the pivoting of the head 3 relative to the handle 2.

  As a separate component constrained by the base plate 9, the plate 15 is illustrated in FIG. 4, but the stop surface 16 may be provided directly on the base plate 9. As a further alternative or addition to the above embodiment, a stop surface made of a second softer plastic material is used to limit the pivoting of the head 3 relative to the frame 12, for example the handle 2, the base plate 9 or the plate 15. It may be provided at the edge or the protruding portion that comes into contact with.

  Components produced by two-component injection molding using the first rigid plastic material and the second softer plastic material, i.e. the support 7 and / or the plate 15, may have additional functions and / or second There may be additional regions of softer plastic material.

  For example, the support 7 may be a lid that seals and closes the inner housing that houses the drive 6 and / or the energy source, for example. For this purpose, the support may be provided with a sealing lip 18 made of a second softer plastic material for sealing the lid (support 7) to the other inner housing components. Good. In an alternative embodiment not shown, the sealing lip 18 may be another part of the second softer plastic material that is not directly connected to the stop surface 16. Alternatively, the sealing lip may be used as a stop surface by a second softer plastic material web such as, for example, channel 17, which is used to dispense the second softer plastic material during injection molding. 16 may be connected.

  As a further example, the base plate 9 and / or plate 15 may be a lid that seals and closes the head 3 against the environment. For this purpose, the base plate 9 and / or the plate 15 is provided with a sealing lip (not shown) made of a second softer plastic material for sealing the lid to the rest of the head 3. May be. Again, the stop surface 14 may be another part of the second softer plastic material, or may be connected to the sealing lip by a second web of softer plastic material.

  As a further example, the second softer plastic material may have portions formed as soft ribs 19 provided on the base plate 9 and / or plate 15. The soft rib 19 may be disposed so as to act on one pivot shaft 20 of the lever portions 8 a and 8 b that connect the base plate 9 and / or the plate 15 to the support 7. More specifically, the soft ribs 19 may be arranged to be slightly compressed by contact with the pivot shaft 20, so that the shaft 20, lever portions 8 a, 8 b, the base plate 9 and / or The gap between the plate 15 is removed. Again, the stop surface 14 may be another portion of the second softer plastic material, or may be connected to the soft ribs 19 by a second web of softer plastic material.

  In this way, the electric dry shaver has a movable shaver head and is manufactured from a softer material than the stop element, thus reducing the abutment when the shaver head reaches the extreme end position. The turning range is limited by the stop element having the stop element. Therefore, even when the shaver head reaches the end position, little noise is generated by the movement of the shaver head. Advantageously, the mating stop element made, for example, from a soft material such as TPE is produced in a multi-component injection molding process. The part provided with the soft counterpart stop element comprises a second functional soft component part on either the same side as the counterpart stop element or on the opposite side of the same part. This second functional soft component part is provided to provide a different purpose than the stop or mating stop element, i.e. a sealing rib (lib) or a pretension protrusion rib. To function. Thus, the soft material counterpart stop is not only cost-effectively provided by the multi-component injection molding process, but the material performs a dual function in the same part.

  The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise indicated, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm”.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hair removal device 2 Handle 3 Head 4 Hair removal part 5 Hair removal part 6 Drive part 7 Support body 8a, b Lever part 9 Base plate 10 Arm 11 Slewing bearing 12 Frame 13 Nose 14 Stop surface 15 Plate 16 Stop surface 17 Channel 18 Sealing Stop lip 19 Soft rib 20 Pivot axis I Rotating axis

Claims (15)

  A handle (2) for accommodating a drive unit and an energy source, and supported by the handle (2) so as to be pivotable, the movement of the drive unit is the movement of the driven unit of at least one hair removal unit (4, 5). A hair removal device comprising a head (3) comprising said at least one hair removal part (4, 5) connected to said drive part by a transmission to convert to said handle (2) The pivoting of the head (3) is caused by the contact of at least one stop surface (14, 16) of at least one stop element (7, 15) with at least one other stop element (8a, 8b, 12). Multi-component injection molding with a first plastic material and a second plastic material that is softer than the first plastic material, the at least one stop element (7, 15) being limited by contact Thus produced, the at least one stop surface (14,16), the second is made of plastic material, hair removal device.   Epilation device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one stop element (7, 15) is manufactured by two-component injection molding.   The hair removal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first plastic material is polypropylene or polybutylene terephthalate, and / or the second plastic material is a thermoplastic elastomer or liquid silicone rubber.   The at least one stop element (7, 15) is part of a shell or shell assembly that seals at least a portion of the hair removal device (1) to the environment, and the at least one stop element ( 7. A hair removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein 7, 15) comprises at least one sealing part (18) made from the second plastic material.   The at least one stop element (7, 15) comprises at least one soft rib (19) made from the second plastic material, the soft rib (19) hitting the soft rib (19). The hair removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which exerts an urging force on the component (20) in contact therewith.   The at least one stop surface (14, 16) and the at least one sealing portion (18) and / or the soft rib (19) are formed by a web (17) made from the second plastic material. The hair removal device according to claim 4 or 5, which is connected to each other.   The head (3) is supported by the support (7, 12) of the handle (2) and at least two levers (8a, 8b) hinged to the head (3), respectively. The hair removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is pivotally supported by (2).   The stop element wherein at least a part of the support (7) of the handle (2) has at least one stop surface (14) made of the second plastic material for each lever (8a, 8b). Hair removal device according to claim 7, wherein each lever (8a, 8b) comprises a part forming the at least one mating stop element.   The support (7) of the handle (2) is a lid that hermetically seals the inner housing of the handle (2), and the inner housing houses the drive unit (6) and the energy source. The hair removal device according to claim 7 or 8.   Hair removal device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein at least one of the levers (8a, 8b) is a metal part and / or has a substantially U-shaped cross section. .   The head (3) is supported by the handle (2) so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (I), and the head (3) is pivotally supported on the pivot axis (I). The frame (12) includes a frame (12), and the frame (12) is brought into contact with a component (9, 15) constrained by the handle (2) with respect to rotation about the pivot axis (I). Hair removal device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pivoting of the head (3) relative to the handle (2) about a pivot axis (I) is restricted.   The components (9, 15) constrained to the handle (2) with respect to rotation about the pivot axis (I) are head portions having openings for receiving the drive shafts of the transmission. Hair removal device according to claim 11, wherein at least one stop surface (16) made of two plastic materials is provided on the head (9, 15).   The at least two levers (8a, 8b) are hingedly connected to the head part (15) or a further base plate (9) constrained to the head part (15). Or the hair removal device of 12.   Hair removal device according to claim 13, wherein the further base plate (9) comprises two arms (10), each arm (10) having one of the swivel bearings (11).   The at least one hair removal portion (4, 5) of the head (3) includes a lower cutter having a plurality of blades and a foil-type upper cutter, and the transmission moves the lower cutter in a translational motion with respect to the upper cutter. The hair removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the hair removal device is connected to the lower cutter for driving.

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